Objective:

The new research will assess the relative effects of prenatal and postnatal exposures, combined or interactive effects of exposure to multiple urban contaminants, the time course of impairment and disease, and the modulating effects of social adversity and nutritional and genetic risk factors. Because the Center investigates both respiratory and developmental health effects of environmental exposures, we are uniquely positioned to study the multiple consequences of early exposures on child health and development, as well as the possible role of asthma, which is extremely common in our population, in influencing cognitive development. The three primary aims of the research are: a) to determine the relationships between prenatal and/or postnatal exposures and health; b) to determine the modulation of risks by susceptibility factors; and c) to translate research findings to prevention.

Approach:

The Center will continue using molecular epidemiologic approaches to follow-up of the mother and child cohort through ages five to seven, as the children enter school, with links to school performance data at age eight. Additional exposure, biomarker, and outcome assessments will allow testing of new etiologic hypotheses for the asthma and growth and development research projects. A new laboratory-based mechanistic research project will elucidate possible mechanisms of in utero sensitization by co-exposure to PAH/diesel exhaust particles and allergens. An intervention project on integrated pest management and health-related housing improvements will be conducted in partnership with the New York City Departments of Health and Mental Health and the New York City Housing Authority. A new Community Outreach, Translation, and Application Core will ensure that the Center’s findings have local and national public health impact. Initiatives include educating medical students and obstetric and pediatric residents about children’s environmental health, a community campaign to improve air and housing quality in New York City, risk assessment analyses using Center findings.

Expected Results:

The proposed etiologic projects will provide much-needed knowledge about the long-term risks of impairment due to environmental exposures in African American and Latino communities, in the context of nutritional and genetic susceptibilities and psychosocial stressors measured at the individual and community levels. The Center’s Data Core facilities will add a greatly expanded geographic information system to integrate multi-level data in spatial context . We expect that this comprehensive research will aid government agencies in setting environmental limits that protect the most susceptible members of the general population. The Mechanistic Research Project will determine the mechanisms by which prenatal exposures may increase risk of in utero sensitization and asthma, all found to occur commonly in our cohort, with potentially important implications for asthma prevention. The proposed intervention project will expand our partnership with NYCDOHMH and NYCHA to determine the efficacy of a comprehensive integrated pest management program for public housing that combines lower toxicity pesticides, physical repairs, and education to reduce pests over an extended period. This research will help our agency partners determine whether to implement integrated pest management throughout the public housing system.

Bradman A, Whyatt RM. Characterizing exposures to nonpersistent pesticides during pregnancy and early childhood in the National Children's Study: a review of monitoring and measurement methodologies. Environmental Health Perspectives 2005;113(8):1092-1099.

Goldstein IF, Perzanowski MS, Lendor C, Garfinkel RS, Hoepner LA, Chew GL, Perera FP, Miller RL. Prevalence of allergy symptoms and total IgE in a New York City cohort and their association with birth order. International Archives of Allergy and Immunology 2005;137(3):249-257.

Jedrychowksi W, Galas A, Pac A, Flak E, Camman D, Rauh V, Perera F. Prenatal ambient air exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and the occurrence of respiratory symptoms over the first year of life. European Journal of Epidemiology 2005;20(9):775-782.

Jedrychowski W, Galas A, Whyatt R, Perera F. The prenatal use of antibiotics and the development of allergic disease in one year old infants. A preliminary study. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health 2006;19(1):70-76.

Progress and Final Reports:

Subprojects under this Center:(EPA does not fund or establish subprojects; EPA awards and manages the overall grant for this center).R832141C001 Growth and Development Research Project: Prenatal and Postnatal Urban Pollutants and Neurobehavioral Developmental OutcomesR832141C002 Research Project on Asthma: Prenatal and Postnatal Urban Pollutants and Childhood AsthmaR832141C003 Mechanistic Research ProjectR832141C004 Community-Based Intervention Project: Reduction of Exposure and Risk from Pesticides and AllergensR832141C005 Community Translation and Application Core (COTAC)R832141C006 Exposure Assessment Facility CoreR832141C007 Data Management, Statistics and Community Impact Modeling CoreR832141C008 Administrative Core

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.